Resplendent – Chapter 454

Chapter 454: Tertiary Syphilis

Princess Anya was utterly puzzled. If even the Sage Apothecary and the Medical Sage couldn’t cure this illness, how could their disciple (Apprentice-niece) have a method to treat it? Could it be that Miss Gu had entered the sect already holding some secret technique? Or had she simply surpassed her masters?

After happily enjoying a meal at Qingfeng Pavilion, Princess Anya asked Gu Ye, “Are you still going to the apothecaries’ gathering this afternoon?”

Gu Ye remembered what her master had said: her actions that morning had already drawn the displeasure of many apothecaries, so she shook her head and said, “No, I’m not going. I’ll go check on your patient instead.”

Chu Mushan said with some concern, “Little Sister, venereal disease is something shameful and unspeakable. Could this harm your reputation?”

Princess Anya hurried to speak, afraid that Gu Ye might change her mind, “Don’t worry. Aside from the senior physician at Jimin Pharmacy and the people present here, no one else will ever hear about this. Miss Gu, if you mind, I can prepare a screen for you to work behind.”

“It’s fine. Sixth Brother, a healer saves lives. There is no such thing as high or low among patients. We treat the illness, not the person! As for those so-called empty reputations, in front of a human life, they mean nothing! Besides, when has our Chu family ever cared about that hollow, pretentious reputation? Just because I treat someone with a venereal disease, does that make me any less the beloved legitimate daughter of the Duke of Zhen?” Gu Ye raised a brow at him.

“You will always be the cherished treasure of our parents and brothers. No one can change that!” Chu Mushan felt a bit ashamed; he wasn’t as open-minded as his younger sister. She was right. Why care so much about the views of the world?

After lunch, the Sage Apothecary returned to the Jiang family’s post house to rest. Chu Mushan and Gu Ming accompanied their sister to Princess Anya’s estate in the outskirts of the capital.

Gu Ye changed into sterile clothing, put on a mask, and entered the patient’s room. The doors and windows were tightly shut, the inside dark and suffocating. From behind the tightly enclosed bed curtains came intermittent groans.

She frowned and instructed the servants to open the doors and windows for ventilation. She also had the layers of curtains pulled back. The serving old woman explained, “Doctor, this woman has a dirty disease. We were afraid her illness might spread, so we…”

“Don’t worry! This illness isn’t spread through casual daily contact.” Gu Ye turned her gaze toward the patient. The exposed skin on the woman’s head, face, hands, and feet was covered in syphilitic rashes and necrotic tissue: the classic symptoms of late-stage syphilis. After a thorough examination, Gu Ye confirmed it was tertiary syphilis.

The patient’s tertiary syphilis had not yet progressed to full-body ulceration. Treatment would not be difficult, and continuous penicillin injections would be enough.

“How is it? Can her illness be cured?” Princess Anya asked nervously.

“Yes! Intramuscular injections of penicillin for twenty consecutive days, then repeat the same course after a two-week break, and she should be almost fully cured. However, even after recovery, she must return for regular checkups to prevent relapse.” Gu Ye took out a vial of penicillin; after conducting a skin test and confirming there was no allergic reaction, she injected it into the patient’s hip.

She then took out a box of ointment and handed it to the woman attending the patient. “Apply this to the rashes and necrotic areas twice a day, once in the morning and once at night.”

“Can all patients be treated this way?” Princess Anya’s expression relaxed noticeably; when she spoke to Gu Ye now, a faint smile appeared on her face.

“Different symptoms require different dosages. If it’s only early-stage syphilis, ten to fifteen days of continuous injections will do. But for anyone else, it’s best that I examine them in person before prescribing medication.” Gu Ye removed her gloves and washed her hands carefully.

“Oh, right! Within two hours after the first penicillin injection, the patient may experience fever, chills, headache, or a temporary worsening of symptoms. So she must be observed for a while. But don’t worry, the symptoms will gradually fade and improve within a day.”

Having committed to saving the patient completely, Gu Ye planned to stay at Princess Anya’s estate until evening. She wanted to wait for the patient’s reaction to appear, administer another injection, and then return.

Suddenly, Gu Ye let out a huge yawn. She was so accustomed to taking a midday nap that her eyelids were starting to fight each other. Seeing this, Princess Anya quickly instructed Lu Rui, “Take Miss Gu to the guest room to rest.”

Princess Anya’s estate sat at the foot of a small hill. There was a pond nearby, and lush trees shaded the grounds; with the breeze blowing through, it felt pleasantly cool. Gu Ye stretched out her limbs and slept comfortably.

After settling Gu Ye in, Princess Anya hurried into a courtyard, knocked on a door, and spoke with excited delight in her voice, “Brother, your illness can be cured!”

Silence came from inside. Princess Anya continued, “It’s true! I brought the doctor behind Jimin Pharmacy, the one who can perform a C-section. She came to the capital to attend the Great Pharmacists Convention. I happened to run into her when I went to Jimin Pharmacy. Brother, even heaven is helping you. Please don’t give up, alright?”

Her words became slightly incoherent, and the final sentence carried a pleading tone. Ever since that incident, Young Prince Qing had locked himself away in his room, refusing to see anyone and not saying a single word. He barely ate anything.

Her once high-spirited, talented brother had been framed and forced to contract an unspeakably shameful disease! If she ever discovered who harmed him, she would tear them to pieces!! Princess Anya thought bitterly.

“Brother, believe me!” Seeing that there was still no response from the room, Princess Anya refused to give up. “That wretched woman is far worse off. Her whole body is rotting, yet Miss Gu said she can cure her. Your symptoms are much lighter than that woman’s. Miss Gu will definitely cure you. Brother, believe me. I’m not lying to you! Miss Gu is right here at our estate. Let her take a look at you, alright?”

After a long moment, dragging footsteps finally sounded from inside. The door opened from within, and a slender, pale-faced, strikingly handsome young man appeared before Princess Anya.

The tears that had been welling in Princess Anya’s eyes finally spilled over. In just a little over ten days, her brother had been tormented into this state…

“What you said… is it true?” Young Prince Qing had dull, lifeless eyes, but now a faint spark of light flickered within them. “Can my illness… can it really be cured?”

“Absolutely! Miss Gu said she is at least eighty percent confident she can cure this illness. Brother, if you’re uneasy, we can wait until that wretch’s condition improves, and then invite Miss Gu to treat you…” Princess Anya nodded eagerly, delighted that her brother was finally willing to accept treatment.

“No need. Is this Miss Gu you speak of… the doctor is a woman?” Young Prince Qing felt a hint of surprise. Female physicians were not unheard of, but female doctors willing to treat venereal diseases were exceedingly rare.

“Yes! Miss Gu is incredibly skilled. Not only is she exceptional in medicine, but she can also make pharmaceuticals. Oh, she is the disciple of the Sage Apothecary and the Apprentice-niece of the Medical Sage. She has even been personally guided by the Medical Sage. Brother, you can rest assured!” Princess Anya hurried to explain repeatedly, afraid her brother might distrust a female doctor.